Removable cleanable antireflection shield

ABSTRACT

A replaceable anti-reflection shield for the glare surface beneath the windscreen of a vehicle is described which comprises a flexible panel of light absorbing material, such as black cloth, velvet, canvas or plastic, of size and configuration corresponding to that of the glare surface for placement on and conformance to the contour of the glare surface beneath the windscreen, and peripheral attaching means such as adhesive strips, snaps, Velcro®  strips, suction cups, or similar devices, on the flexible panel for detachably securing the peripheral edges of the panel to the glare surface, whereby the panel is easily removed for cleaning or replacement.

RIGHTS OF THE GOVERNMENT

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States for all governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalty.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to anti-glare windscreens forvehicles and more particularly to a novel anti-reflection shield for usein conjunction with the windscreen of a vehicle which shield is easilyremovable for cleaning or replacement.

Aircraft cockpits are typically arranged such that, from the pilot'sline of sight, much of the reflected surface observed is a flat blackglare shield. Unfortunately, on many aircraft the glare shield surfaceis difficult to clean and becomes coated with a fine laYer of dust, orbecomes damaged by scratches. The dust layer or scratches reduce theeffectiveness of the glare shield by reflecting sunlight onto thewindscreen causing a substantial loss of contrast viewing through thewindscreen and thereby substantially reducing the ability of the pilotto visually acquire information.

The present invention provides a flexible anti-glare shield that can beused in conjunction w1th the existing windscreen of an aircraft or overan existing glare shield thereof to reduce reflections and thus improvecontrast vision through the windscreen. The anti-reflection shield ofthe present invention finds substantial utility within the cockpit of anaircraft to improve contrast vision of the pilot through the windscreenby reducing reflections, and to provide an anti-reflective panel whichis easily removable for cleaning or replacement. The invention comprisesa form fitted flexible panel for covering the glare surface beneath thewindscreen, may comprise a substantially transparent washable panel forcovering an existing glare shield, and may be adapted for use on mostaircraft. The anti-reflective shield of the invention may also beadapted for use in conjunction with the windscreens of other types ofvehicles.

It is, therefore, a princlple object of the present invention to providean improved anti-glare windscreen.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an antireflectiveshield for use in conjunction with an existing windscreen of a vehicle.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent as thedetailed description of certain representative embodiments thereofproceeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the foregoing principles and objects of the presentinvention, a replaceable anti-reflection shield for the glare surfacebeneath the windscreen of a vehicle is described which comprises aflexible panel of light absorbing material, such as black cloth. velvetcanvas or plastic of size and configuration corresponding to that of theglare surface for placement on and conformance to the contour of theglare surface beneath the windscreen, and peripheral attaching meanssuch as adhesive strips snaps, Velcro® strips, suction cups, or similardevices, on the flexible panel for detachably securing the peripheraledges of the panel to the glare surface, whereby the panel is easilyremoved for cleaning or replacement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more clearly understood from the followingdetailed description of certain representative embodiments thereof readin conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of the cockpit area of an aircraftillustrating the placement and function of the shield of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial view of the glare surface of the cockpit of FIG. 1illustrating placement and fastening of the shield of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates alternative fastening means for the shield of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, shown therein is a perspective view of a partof the cockpit 11 area of an aircraft 10 illustrating the placement andfunction of the shield of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1,aircraft 10 may typically include a substantially transparent windscreen12 through which pilot 13 visually acquires information for operation ofaircraft 10. Instrument panel 14 is disposed in front of pilot 13 behindand beneath a glare surface 15 defined beneath windscreen 12. The areaof glare surface 15 is. in many aircraft. of substantial size by reasonof the aerodynamic contour of windscreen 12 (such as illustrated)characterizing in part the structure of aircraft 10. A glare shield (notshown) of conventional configuration may be disposed near instrumentpanel 14 on or near glare surface 15 beneath windscreen 12.

In the operation of aircraft 10, extraneous light 16 incident upon andpassing through windscreen 12 and reflecting off glare surface 15 andlower (inner) surface 12a of windscreen 12, as illustrated by dashedline 16a, may constitute glare and interfere with the ability of pilot13 to visually acquire information near or along a desired viewing axis.such as forward viewing axis V. This problem may be compounded by theexistence of scratches, dust or film on inner surface 12a of windscreen12 or on glare surface 15 beneath windscreen 12, which problem is notsolved by placement of conventional glare shields provided by the priorart. Therefore. in accordance with the teachings of the presentinvention an anti-reflective shield comprising a form-fitted flexiblepanel 17. of size and shape corresponding substantially to that of glaresurface 15. may be placed on surface 15 forward of instrument panel 14and beneath windscreen 12. Panel 17 is preferably flexible in order toconform to the contour of surface 15, and may comprise a removable sheetof black velvet, light-absorbing cloth or canvas, or other suitablematerials or structures, such as a velvet coated plastic panel, or acombination of adjacent plastic panels connected in abuttingrelationship by cloth hinges, which provide a black or otherwisenon-reflecting and light-absorbing surface which may be cleaned.

Referring now to FIG. 2, shown therein is a partial view of instrumentpanel 14, glare surface 15, windscreen 12, and panel 17 partially inplace on surface 15, to illustrate one configuration for securing panel17 to surface 15 beneath windscreen 12. Fastening means in the form ofadhesive strips such as Velcro® strips 18 may be incorporated into panel17 around the periphery thereof for releaseably attaching panel I7 tosurface 15; accordingly. mating strips 18a for mating with strips 18 maybe secured conventionally to surface 15. Alternatively. as shown in FIG.3, an anti-reflective panel 17' may be secured to surface 15 by snaps orsuction cups 19 incorporated into the periphery of panel 17'. Otherequivalent fastening means may be used to secure anti-reflective panel17 to glare surface 15, as would occur to one with skill in the field ofthis invention, the specific examples being merely exemplary offasteners contemplated within these teachings. to provide a readilyremovable flexible panel 17. Therefore, when the material which panel 17comprises becomes soiled by dust, film or other deposit, or becomesscratched or otherwise damaged such that the anti-glare characterthereof is impaired, panel 17 may be removed for washing or repair, asappropriate. and a replacement conveniently and quickly installed.

The present invention therefore provides an improved removableanti-reflection shield for use in conjunction with the windscreen of anaircraft or other vehicle to substantially eliminate glare. It isunderstood that certain modifications to the invention as describedherein may be made, as might occur to one skilled in the field of theinvention, within the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, allembodiments contemplated hereunder which achieve the objects of theinvention have not been shown in complete detail. Other embodiments maybe developed without departing from the spirit of this invention or fromthe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A removable anti-reflective shield for covering the glaresurface beneath the windscreen forward of the instrument panel of anaircraft to substantially eliminate light reflection from said glaresurface, comprising:a. a flexible panel of light absorbing material ofsize and configuration corresponding to that of said glare surface forplacement on and conformance to the contour of said glare surfacebeneath said windscreen forward of said instrument panel; and b.attaching means on substantially the entire periphery of said flexiblepanel for detachably securing the peripheral edges of said flexiblepanel to said glare surface.
 2. The glare shield as recited in claim 1wherein said flexible panel comprises a black material selected from thegroup consisting of velvet, cloth, canvas, and plastic.
 3. The glareshield as recited in claim 1 wherein said peripheral attaching meanscomprises adhesive strips.
 4. The glare shield as recited in claim 1wherein said peripheral attaching means comprises suction cups.
 5. Theglare shield as recited in claim 1 wherein said peripheral attachingmeans comprises snaps.